E3 Alliance's New Student Fellows Ready to Make an Impact

Empowering future leaders in education and social impact through The Susan Dawson Fellowship
Browse All press releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, Texas – June 30, 2025 – E3 Alliance is thrilled to announce the selection of Daniel Choung, Yousef Elsayed, and Catalina Vasquez as the newest recipients of The Susan Dawson Fellowship. This prestigious fellowship, which supports students with an interest in social impact work, is managed by E3 Alliance Operations Manager Emily Pickens. 

E3 Alliance launched The Susan Dawson Fellowship in spring 2025 to honor founder Susan Dawson. The program offers paid appointments within various E3 Alliance departments and with its partners, providing students with invaluable hands-on experience.  

“I’m genuinely excited to welcome Daniel, Yousef, and Catalina to E3 and our community,” said Pickens. “These bright, talented students will have the incredible opportunity to dive into three key areas and truly understand the realities of social impact work. I believe we’ll be inspired and energized by their enthusiasm, skills, and passion for making a difference through their learning and growth.” 

The three fellows, all students at The University of Texas at Austin, will participate in a 10-week paid program designed to provide them with a deep dive into the nonprofit world of education. The fellows will explore careers in data research, visualization, storytelling, and using data to inform better decisions. 

Daniel Choung is pursuing a master’s degree in exercise physiology and serves as the education benchmark and metrics data research fellow.  His work focuses on leveraging his background to collect, analyze, and interpret data related to student performance, school outcomes, and systemic indicators in education. 

Yousef Elsayed is a Ph.D. student in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. As an education policy fellow, the New York native will explore the intersection of STEM and education policy to inform and influence the future of STEM education. 

Catalina Vasquez is a Ph.D. student in higher education leadership and policy. Serving as the data resources and competitor analysis research fellow, her work focuses on examining data resources and conducting competitor analyses to deliver strategic insights vital for building and enhancing community partnerships. A native of Ventura, California, she is currently in her second year of the program. 

These new fellows follow in the footsteps of Cindy Shantell, the inaugural fellow who worked with the research, data, and communications teams during the program’s launch. 

To learn more about the Susan Dawson Fellowship, visit: https://e3alliance.org/about/susan-dawson-fellowship/